Releasable canopy



Sept. 30, 1952 T. 0. W000 RELEASABLE CANOPY Filed Feb. 8, 1949 Thurman C. Wood 24, I 3| 30 W37 Fig.3

IN V EN TOR.

Patented Sept. 30, 1952 amass, RELEASABLE CANOPY ThurmanC. Wood, Inglewood, Calif., assignor to I North American Aviation, Inc.

, Application February 8, 1949, Serial No. 75,214

The present invention relates generally to aircraft and like vehicles and more particularly to improved releasing mechanism for. canopies,:enclosures and similar components. 2

The present invention is directed primarily to an improved arrangement which provides means for effectively retaining an aircraft canopyvupon 2 Claims. (01. 244-121) Fig. 4 is a similar cross-sectional viewfof a modified form of the canopy retaining edge and a portion of the releasing mechanism.

a; cockpit compartment, including provision'for sealing the same to permit internal. pressurization .of the aircraft compartment; the retaining means being so arranged as to permit. instantaneous release of. the canopy or enclosure for emergency jettisoning of the same tospermit an occupant to leave the aircraft with a minimum of delay. Numerous forms of releasing mechanisms have. been designed and used for 'jettisonable canopies foryaircraft and similar vehicles, and many have, proven unsatisfactory due to unduly complicated and heavy releasing mechanism; Qther of such devices .were susceptible ofv jamming in. an emergency and for other reasons made their. installation upon the aircraft unsatisfactory fromthe standpoint of the-occupant not being assured of his ability of his making a hasty exit from the aircraft underemergency conditions, 100th in. li h and pon he groundqTne presently improved construction relates essentially to a slotted retainer strip or rail of curved cross sectional shape having an extendins nose p tn, whi -en a es-a d retains the lowe e ge the can py. he mprovement also includes means for rapidly and positively translating the retainer rail in such manner that fixed l' pins projecting through itscurved cam slots impart a rocking or rolling movement to,-the rail simultaneously asit is translated; thereby cause ingits nose portionto be withdrawnfrom the lower edge of the canopy for the rapid release of the same. q

It is, accordingly amajor object of the present invention to provide an improvedv arrangement of a jettisonable. aircraft canopy or like com- Referring now toFig. 1, the numeral iindicates th upper p rti n f: th fus la sk n ov rinezoi: an aircraft or similar vehicle having a cockpit or compartment defined by the interior side walls t:-

A'fixed windshield'portion-l is' provided above the. forward portion of the cockpit and its aft portion is covered by a streamlined: removable canopy portion 8, the windshield 1 and canopy 8 prefers ably being transparent to permit visibility theme through and meeting each other along a-trans verse parting line indicated at 9. All of the otheredges of the canopy 8,'-as well-asthe ait portion and that which abuts the fixed windshieldfporg tion along the parting line 9, are preferablyarproe vided with sealing stripsto, facilitate internal pressurization of the aircraft cockpit: As isvinore clearly shown in the section in Fig, 3, the internal wall 6 of the cockpit preferably is attached-to a sill or a coaming portion Ill which, extendshorizontally beneath the lower lateral edges ofthe canopy 8, the coaming Ill extending outwardly under the fuselage skin 5 towhichit may alsobe attached. In the form of the invention shown in;

Fig. 3, the lower lateraledges of the canopy 8 are preferably provided with a reduced thickness portion [9 terminating in the transverse shoulder I8 with a strip H of nylon or other. flexible composition material capable if-being made airtight, cemented to the reduced portion Is and having anextending loop portion encircling a cylindrical rod or wire l2, forming a detentfor the canopy retainingedge, v

Referring again to I rail I3 is provided along each side ofthe' cockpit being substantially parallel to and; contiguous ponent for release from;-. an aircraft or other I vehicle. It is a further object to provide an im proved releasing mechanism which isparticularly adapted for the releaseof canopies from internal ly pressurized aircraft, A still further object re-.,

sides in the provision of a simplified positiveacting releasing mechanism which simultaneous- 1y releases both lateral'edges of a canopy for its instantaneous release I Other objects and advantages of the, present inventionwill occur to those skilled in theart afterreading the present des r ption tak n oget er with th a compan ing clrawings forming a. part hereof in which:

liig. 1 is an .elevational view, partly in section, of an aircraft cockpit having a canopy to which a form of" the present releasing mechanism has bee appli I v Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevationalview of Vaportion of the releasing mechanism shown in Fig, 1; Fig. 3' is a sectional elev'ati'onal viewtaken along me se-irigi a d:

formed from a lower angularly in ined ine po on which lo es upward! with the lower lateraledges ofthe canopy-8;

shown in detail in Fig. the retainer 13 is ofa curved cross-sectionbeing generallyhook shaped with its tongueend or. rounded nose l4v extending downwardly and outwardly; in the engagedccin dition of the canopy 8' such that thenose portion l4 engagesv the loop 1 between the lower edge. of the reduced canopy-portion l9, and the detent rod I2, ,Therlower portion l5 of the retainerwljiiis arcuatev or curvilinearin cro'ss=sec.tion, having its'lower portion l ,5lcurved inwardly awayfrom the coaming ,6 and beingprovided above its hooked portion with an upstanding flange'onfin I] which in the engaged position of the retainer. is contiguous and parallel to the lower edgeoftliecanopy 8, as shown in 3.

The re r strip 3.of which there iis- In. opposite counter-part onthe other lateral 'ide of the cockpit, is'providedwith' a plurgaliy angularly divergentcamming slots 16 exten ing through the wall of the retainer element at, its lower curved portion. All, of the slots within the same retainer is are alike. an

F 1; a reta er or "keeper.

: wardly from its forward end and has a straight or horizontally extending rearward portion.

The arrangement of the angularly divergent slots I6 within the curved portion of the retainer rail I3 is such that as the rail is translated rearwardly from the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the fixed pins 20 and 22,:disposed within the slots, impart an upward and inward rocking movement to the upper portion of the retainer strip. Referring now to Fig. 3, as the canopy 8 is lowered upon the coaming of the fuselage cockpit into its attached position, the shoulder' I8 will bear against the upturnedportion of thefus'ela'ge skin 5. As the flexible loop II enclosing the rod I2 is suspended beneath the reduced portion I9 of the'canopy, therod I 2 in restingupon the coaming or sill I I] is engaged by the nose portion [4 of the retainer strip as the latter is moved into its extreme forward position. In this retained condition as shown in pit can be maintained without undue pressure loss between the lower edge of the canopy and the adjacent fuselage structure, and the canopy is also firmly held against this internal pressure which tends to'lift the same off the aming of the fuselage cockpit. It will be under-- 7 stood that the cockpit shown and described herein'f-ma'y be pressurized or supercharged by the usual means and equipment for increasing or maintaining higher pressures within the cock- 'pit for the breathing comfort of the pilot when the aircraft is flown at higher altitudes at which the pressures are appreciably lower than the normal atmospheric pressures at sea level or moderate altitudes. i

As indicated above, the retainer strip I 3 is mounted througheach of its plurality of angularly divergent camming slots I6 by means offthe guide pins 20 provided with stud washers 2Ifand by alike pin 22 mounted through the bracket fitting 23. The latter is attached to: the fuselage wall 6 by the bolts 24 and isprovided with a bearing portion 25 within which is journalled the transverse torque tube 26 which extends across the fuselage width to the opposite wall'at which it is journalled within a like, but opposite hand; fitting (not shown). The main pin 22 passes through the upper terminal of the fittingi23 and inaddition to engaging a slot I6, .in "the retainer rail I3 also passes through a stud washer 2| having a convex face engaging the inner face of the retainer rail I3 and the washer 28 havinga concave face engaging the outer convex surface of the rail I3. The pin 22,

. passing through the offset portion of the bracket 23; also forms a pivot about which part of the actuating mechanism to be described is also operated. s The transverse torque tube 26 has fixedly mounted thereon a lever element 29 having a pivqtalconnection 30 at its forwardly extending terminal by which it is Connected'to the lower slotted terminal 'of the push-pull rod .31. The l p r. terminal of the rod 3I is connected by the piyotj 32 to the intermediate terminals 'of a breakin ortoggle linkage 33 and 34, theflink 33 extending forwardly. and being pivotallyconted.through.the universalpin fitting. 35 to an"anchorin'g fitting 36 suitably fastened to' the 4 retainer rail l3. The rearwardly extending break link 34 is pivotally mounted upon the aforementioned extended pin 22, between the spacing washers 21. The torque tube 26 also has secured to it an operating lever 31 which extends substantially downwardly in a vertical position in the attached condition of the canopy as shown in Figs. 1 and'2.

Forward movement or clockwise rotation of the manual lever 31 from its full line position in .Fig. 1 to the broken line positions of Figs. 1 and 2 imparts like rotation to the lever 29 and up- Ward'movement of the rod 3I, causing the linkage'33-34 to be broken as its intermediate pivot 32 is caused to move'upwardly to the broken line position A. As the pivot 32 is caused to move upwardly and rearwardly it iscaused to follow an arcuate path about the fixed pin 22 as a center, and to draw the rail l3 forwardly through the anchor fitting 36. The universal pin fitting 35 permits counterclockwise rotation of the breaking link 33 about the anchor pivot fitting 36 causing the rail to be moved rearwardly. As the inclined camming portions of the slots I6 are moved rearwardly along the fixed guide pins 26 and 22, the retainer I3 is caused to move upwardly and to rock such that its upper portion is rotated inwardly toward the cockpit, and

its lower portion rotated outwardly, until the retainer I3 reaches its fully released position, as indicated by the broken lines B in Figs. 2 and 3. Before the extreme position B is reached, the internal pressure within the cockpit acting as a lifting force upon the undersurface of the canopy will cause the same to be lifted vertically off the coaming l0 and the seat formed by the upturned fuselage skin 5, from which posii tion it is lifted freely away from the airplane by the eflect of the airstream getting under its forward edge. The canopy position shown in a laterally displaced released position in the broken lines in Fig. 3 is one into which it might be moved by lateral forces although normally it would be lifted more tached position.

Inasmuch as the torque tube 26 extends across the cockpit and has attached to its opposite end tainer rails are in their rearward released posi- I tion, and after locating the rod I2 in the position shown the lever 31 can be drawn rearwardly in the counterclockwise direction. As the lever 29 is thus rotated from its position A in Fig. 2,

the link 3| draws the intermediate pivot 32 downwardly and forwardly rocking the break link 34 about the fixed pivot 22 and due to the toggle effect created by the straightening of the break causing the strip'l3 to be moved downwardly from its position B in Fig. 2 to the full line position in which the nose portion: l4 moves downwardly and outwardly firmly retaining the loop vertically from its ata-siasaa enelos'ed'detent rod' l- 2jagalnstthe coaming l0. The canopy is then attached 'in -apressurea-tight manner against the fuselage and fixedawindshield 7 through the ;.s'ealing means along the parting dine-' 9 andis again readyfor internalpressurization and flight at elevatedaltitudes. 'It will be jnoted-thatthelimits of the fore and aft movement of the retainer stripsl3-are defined by the ends of the camming slots l-Ba'nd the: retainers 'IS-may'either 'bystraight, as viewed in plan, or

theymay be curved'to followthe similarlycurved edge ofthe canopy.

'In'Fig. f1 there is--shown a modified form of canopy edge and retaining strip in which the fuselage-skin is-indicated at 5a, the cockpit w'all asifiw-and'the canopy as 8a, The retainer strip 130 isarcuatelyformed, as from sheet material, being provided with-an outwardly directed retaining. noseportion l 4a anda curved lower portion a. The latter curved portion is provided with similar camming slots lfia engagedby the 'ilxed guide pins a and the washers Zla. The 'lowermarginal edges of the canopy Ba-are provided with an enlarged portion Illa having an inwardly ofiset shoulder l8a on its outer-face engaged by the upturned edge of the fuselage skit-1 5a bearing against a composition sealing strip '38: The enlarged portion-[Sa is also defined by' an inwardly offset shoulder |8b adapted to lee-engaged by the-nose portion 14a of the retaining strip I 3a. Between the coaming or sill portion-10a of the fuselage covering and" the lower'edge 19a of the canopy, there is disposed 'a' hollow tubular sealing member 39,- and between the-upwardly curved portion of the sheet 'lfla and the canopy, there is disposed-a further sealing strip 40. The retaining strip 130 of the modification shownin Fig. 4' is arranged to be operated b similar mechanism to that shown in'F-igs. l, 2 and 3, such that ,the releasedgposition of the retaining stripis' indicated at D in this flgureg afterfthe retaining-strip has been movedintofits extreme aft position; The lower edge of thecanopy Bais adequately sealed against loss of: internal pre'ssure'by the-sealingelements '38, 3'9 and and-in this modification, as-well a e-in that'previously described; :the external'surface-of the canopy is perfectly faired 'smooth -and nus-h with the adjacent fuselageskin-5a;

The disclosed canopy retaining andoperating mechanism has provenvery satisfactory in actual tests and due to-its relativesimplicity; and positi-v'e actuation it hasb'een relatively inexpensive toconstr'uc't as compared to prionconstructions, as we'll"*as being foolproo'f" in its ability to be positively jettisonedundersevere and hazardous service conditions- In certain installations, its operation has been-facilitated by several minor mechanioal'additions such asl'the provision of rollers in the cam-"slots mam the segmenting of the,.slotted. release members [3.

Other forms and modifications of the present invention, bOth' EWith respect to'its general arrangement and thedetails of its respective parts, which may occur tothose skilledin the art after reading 'the present description, are, all intended to come within-the scope and spirit of this inventiom'as more particularly defined in the app nde'd claims. 7 t. v I

T'Iclaimz" 1. In a releasable-canopyfor-aircraft, an aircraft structure, a canopy havihg a longitudinally extending edge arranged to be attached to; said aircraft -structure,--said-- canopy" edge having a flexible fabric loop enclosing a longitudinally extending element forminga-canopyfiedge :detent means, and a slidably mounted member arranged to be -moved from a first position in which it clamps said fabric loopbetween said canopy edgeand said longitudinally extending element against said aircraft structure to an-opposite position in which it is disengaged from' said fabric loop for the release of said canopy-froth said aircraftstructure. r

'2. The combination with an aircraft campy of retaining and releasing means therefor, comprising a detent carried by an edge of said canopy, a retaining member extending substantiallyparallel to said canopy edge and having a tongue portion in retaining engagement-with the detent thereof, said retaining meinber'having a portion of arcuate "curved --oross+section,

similarly arcuate bearing means carried by the" with said arcuate bearing means, and means-for imparting longitudinal movements: to said retaining member whereby said camming means causes lateral movement across said 'arcuatel-y curved portion for releasing movement of said retaining-member from the detent carried by said canopy edge.

3. In aircraft, an aircraft body having a sill structure, a releasable componenthaving an edgearranged to bear against said "sill structure, said component having. detent means carried thereby, means for releasably re taining the detent means of 'saidcomponent including a member of curved cross-sectionan edge of said retaining member arrangedto en'- gage the detent means of 'said component for fixedly retaining the same against said'sill structure, means for slidabl-y mountingsaid retaining member upon the aircraft structure, camming means associated with the saidmounting; means and means for imparting simultaneous recti linear and lateral rocking movement as determined by the curved cross secticn of saidfre tainingmember with respect to said sill structure whereby said "retaining member is disengaged from said detent means forthe release of said component. g I In aircraft, a-canopy havinga'longitudinall' extending retaining edge, a sill structure" on the aircraft against which said canopy edge is an ranged to. be supported, a longitudinally extending detent associated with said canopy edge, transversely extending guide means carried by the aircraft structure, longitudinally -extending' retaining means having (ramming slots in engag'ement with said guide means saidguide means defining in cooperation with said camming slots the. longitudinallimits of movement -of said retaining, means, said retaining means being of curvilinear-crosssection"having'a'tongue portion arranged. to clampingly fretainsaid canopy detent means a ainst said isill structure,

to bear, a retaining means of curved crosssection slidably supported upon thev aircraft structure, said retaining means provided with longitudinally along said canopy edge, andmeans for translating said retaining means from a first position in which it retains said canopy edge to an opposite positionin which it is removed from the detent associated with said canopy .1 edge.

r '6. In'aircraft, a canopy having a longitudinally extending detent portion, a sill carried by the aircraft structure against which said canopy detent portion is arranged to bear, a longitudinally extending retainer member of curvilinear cross-sectionslidably mounted upon the aircraft structure between two longitudinally displaced positions defined by angularly divergent slots extending through said retainer member, gl ide meansfixedly supported from the aircraft structure engaging said retainer member slots, and toggle mechanism arranged for movements of said retainer member from a first of said limiting positions in which itrretains said detent portion of said canopy edge against said sill structure to its opposite position in which said curved member is rocked away from said detent portion as determined by said curvilinear cross-section for the release of said detent portion and canopy edge fromsaid aircraft structure.

7. The combination with an aircraft having a cockpit and a canopy normally retained above said cockpit in a pressure-tight relationship with the aircraft, of retaining means having a transversely curved portion capable of longitudinal translatory movement and lateral rocking movement, supporting means carried by the aircraft arranged to impart said lateral rocking movement in cooperation with said transversely curved portion ,while said retaining means is translated longitudinally, and actuating means for imparting longitudinal movement to said re angularly disposed camming slots, guide means taining means between its extreme positions in one of which it securely clamps said canopy to the aircraft and in the other of which said canopy is detached from the aircraft.

8. The combination with an aircraft having a pressurized cockpit and a canopy normally. retained above said cockpit in a pressureetight relationship with the aircraft, of retaining means having a transversely curvedportion capable of simultaneous longitudinal translatory movement and lateral rocking movement, supporting means carriedby the aircraft arranged to impart said lateral rocking movement in: cooperation .with said transversely curved portion while said retaining means is translated longitudinally, sealing means associated with the joint between said canopy and said cockpit, and operating means for imparting simultaneous longitudinal and rocking movement to said retaining means between its extreme positions in one of which it securely clamps said canopy to the aircraft in a pressuretight manner and in the other of which said canopy is detached from the aircraft; 7

9. In a releasable canopy for aircraft, an aircraft structure, a canopy having a longitudinally extending edge arranged to be attached to said aircraft structure, said canopy having a loop of flexible material enclosing a longitudinally extending element forming a canopy edge detent means, and a slidably mounted member arranged to be moved from a first position in whichyit I clamps said flexible loop ina pressure-tight rela* tionship against said aircraft structure to an ;op-:-

posite position in which it is disengaged from said flexible loop 'for the release of said canopy from said aircraft structure.

10. In a retaining and releasing structure for an aircraft canopy, a detent carried by an edge of said canopy, a retaining member movably carried upon the aircraft, said retaining member having a tongue portion arranged for retaining engagement with said canopy detent, said retaining member having a curved portion, similarly curved bearing means carried by the: aircraft structure for slidably supporting said retaining member for both longitudinal and lateral sliding movements, guide means associated with said arcuate bearing means, and means for imparting longitudinal movements to said retaining member whereby said guide means imparts lateral movements to said retaining member acrosssaid curved portion for releasing movement of said retaining member from said-detent carried-by said canopy edge.

11. In aircraft, a longitudinally extending sill structure, a releasable aircraft component .ar-

- ranged for rapid attachment to and detachment from said sill structure, said sill structure include ing a portion having a transversely curved bears ing surface, releasing means including aportion having a complementary transversely curved bearing surface, means clampingly associated.

with said sill structure and said releasing means for maintaining said curved bearing surfaces in sliding contact, and further means engageable by said first meansfor impartingtransverse at-- taching and detaching movements to said releasing means as determined by the curvature of said bearing surfaces and as initiated by longitudinal movement of said releasing means with to said sill structure. ,7

12. In aircraft, a longitudinally extending supporting structure, a releasable componentarranged for rapid attachment to and detachment from said supporting structure, said supporting structure including a portion having'a transversely curved bearing surface, releasing means including a portion having a complementary transversely curved bearing surface, means including a headed pin associated with said supporting structure and said releasing means-for maintaining said complementary bearing surfaces in sliding contact, and further means in- THURMAN c. WOOD. 1

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: V

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name. Date 2,361,113 Lobelle Oct. 24, 1944 2,444,114 Pevney June 29, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date Germany Mar. 11, 19.41

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